[Loch-Ruadh] Speaking Forsoothly - Daily Lesson 27

[Pádraig Ruad Ó Maolagáin]

Daily Lesson 27

Money – 2

The Coins

*Sovereign:  a gold coin worth 1 pound (think of it as 20 shillings).
There is no coin called the "pound" until after 1583, although that is the
basic monetary unit.
 *Angel:  a more common gold coins than the sovereign, the angel is worth
10 shillings (1/2 pound).   Not usually used in speaking of a number of
coins; you would never say you owed somebody 6 angels, but you might give
your servant an angel to spend at faire. To coerce someone, you might
suggest that the sweet voice of an angel would convince him.
*Crown:  the most common large coin, worth 5 shillings, and could be
either gold or silver.  (The crown is roughly equal to a Venetian ducat, a
Flemish gelder, or a French êcu, which is sometimes referred to as a
"French crown").
*Half-a-crown:  a gold or silver coin equal to 2 shillings 6 pence ("2 and
6").
*Shilling:  a silver coin worth 12 pence. (Remember, 20 shillings make a
pound).  Sometimes called a "bob".
*Sixpence:  a silver coin worth six pence.  Pronounced as one word:
“SIX-pens” (soft s-sound, not a z-sound)
*Groat:  a silver coin worth 4 pence.
*Thruppence:  a silver coin worth 3 pence.  Pronounced "THRUP-pens"
*Tuppence:  a silver coin worth 2 pence.  Pronounced "TUP-pens"
*Penny:  a silver coin worth a penny (one penny is never called a pence).
*Ha’penny:  a half-penny (not a ha'pence).  Pronounced “HAY-peh-nee”
*Farthing:  a 1/4-penny.

You may know the old Christmas Carol, "Christmas is Coming":
	Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat
	Please to put a penny in the old man’s hat
	If you have no penny, a ha’penny will do
	If you have no ha’penny, a farthing will do
	If you have no farthing, then God bless you

Shakespearian Word/Phrase of the Day:
	Fell – galled, angry, melancholy
	“’Ware the Duke this day; he lost at dice last e’en, and is in a fell mood.”

Padraig
-- 
Nunc est bibendum.
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Politicians prefer unarmed peasants.